Within a local church, the lead pastor’s ministry is the most visible to the public. Antithetically, pastors’ wives ministries are the least seen. She may be visible, but her ministry often is not.
Growing up as the son of a minister of music, who then became an executive pastor, and now serving as a pastor, I have a unique perspective of the ministry of pastors’ wives.
The purpose of this post is not to gripe about any personal issues, but more so to express in generalities what I’ve noticed with the plethora of pastors’ wives I’ve known over the years.
5 Secrets of Pastors’ Wives Ministry:
1. Pastors’ wives have stressful Sunday mornings.
On Sunday mornings, pastors’ wives essentially live like single moms. I know that for my wife, she awakens the kids, and takes them through their morning routine, etc. I’d love to help, but I’m working starting early on Sunday mornings. This is the case for a large majority of pastors’ wives.
This is a ministry to the church. She’s taking the weight of familial responsibility off her husband’s shoulders every Sunday morning for the sake of the overall church having a pastor who is prepared and focused to preach.
2. Pastors’ wives minister to women with more confidential matters.
My wife is not a trained counselor, and didn’t have the luxury I experienced of going to seminary and taking counseling courses. I noticed that with my mom (executive pastor’s wife), my wife (pastor’s wife), and mother-in-law (pastor’s wife), that all of them experience times of ministering to other women who are pouring out their hearts.
This is a ministry to the church. Often, women want to talk to another woman instead of to their male pastor. So, the only person they see whom they feel they can trust is the pastor’s wife.
